Review: 'New Girl' - 'Table 34': Is there another doctor in the house?
Nick and Jess deal with the aftermath of their kiss, and Cece goes to an Indian marriage convention
Cece (Hannah Simone) and Schmidt (Max Greenfield) in "New Girl."
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A quick review of tonight's "New Girl" coming up just as soon as I panic moonwalk away from you...
Okay, that's two episodes in a row that have done very well by this Nick/Jess romantic stuff. For the time being, I will trust Liz Meriwether and company on where this is going.
"Table 34" followed up last week's sparkling kiss scene with a whole lot of uncomfortable, funny regret from both Jess and Nick. It unfortunately means the end of Jess and Sam — someone please go watch the six episodes of "Bent" and write David Walton another series lead, okay? — but all the beats here played out honestly, fairly and amusingly. When Nick apologized to Jess after Sam broke up with her, I was briefly thinking there was no way the show could plausibly have them continue to be friends and roommates after that, and yet by the end of the scene, the script and Deschanel and Johnson had made the awkward detente believable, and even sweet.
Placing the awkward morning after action at the same Indian marriage convention attended by the other characters — and featuring the latest twist to the Schmidt/Cece relationship (with the simultaneously warm and ridiculous, in that very "New Girl" way, moment where Schmidt speaks up on her behalf in front of the prospective Indian grooms) — was also a clever idea, because it forced them to continually interact in what was otherwise a very comic context, while also frequently pairing them with others. I'm not sure I can remember the last notable Nick/Cece scene, assuming one even exists, but the idea that they would be treated as comparable within this social sphere was inspired, and also kept the two main plots well connected.
Throw in a funny Winston subplot that didn't feel like it got short shrift on time, and you've got another winner.
What did everybody else think?
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February 5, 2013 at 11:18PM EST Reply to CommentDavid Walton has been cast as the lead in a CBS comedy pilot from 'Bent' creator Tad Quill.
Chinny I'm really excited about all of the nouns in your comment except "CBS"
February 5, 2013 at 11:19PM ESTolivia But Chinny, everything he's tried at NBC has failed either creatively or by poor treatment by the head peacocks. So I would look at CBS as more of a positive.
February 6, 2013 at 2:05PM ESTBTW isn't he currently starring in a Hallmark channel movie about an average Joe running for politial office?
February 8, 2013 at 2:53AM ESTBent was so great: Amanda Peet and David Walton.... sob!
Deadline says:
"David Walton To Star In NBC Comedy Pilot ‘About A Boy’"
David Walton is set as the lead in About A Boy, NBC‘s single-camera pilot based on the Nick Hornby book and the 2002 movie. Written by from Friday Night Lights and Parenthood executive producer Jason Katims, and directed by Revolution’s Jon Favreau, About A Boy follows the relationship between a bachelor man-child (Walton) and the young boy who moves in next door with his kooky single mother. Michelle Lee, serves as producer on the pilot, from Katims’ True Jack Prods, Universal TV, Working Title and Tribeca Prods. Walton was among the most sought-after comedy actors this season, fielding multiple offers before settling on the role played by Hugh Grant in the 2002 movie. This marks his return to NBC where he starred opposite Amanda Peet in Bent last season. (He also toplined the network’s underrated comedy Perfect Couples.) Earlier this season, Walton was attached to star in a single-camera comedy project by Bent creator Tad Quill which was set up at CBS with a put pilot commitment. The project’s premise somewhat echoes that of About A Boy — it centered on a bachelor firefighter (Walton) who has to make the ultimate sacrifice of taking care of someone other than himself when a 9-year-old girl enters his life. Walton, who has been recurring on Fox’s New Girl, is with Gersh and Special Artists Agency.
chinny
February 5, 2013 at 11:19PM EST Reply to CommentHey, I came here to read a New Girl review, not be reminded about how much I miss "Bent."
PY Seriously. I truly enjoyed that show.
February 6, 2013 at 7:59AM ESTalex Would that show have been more successful if a marketing campaign had been launched, telling everyone to 'Get Bent'?
February 6, 2013 at 2:07PM ESTOops, guess that's the marketing campaign for the eventual DVD release.
CB
February 5, 2013 at 11:35PM EST Reply to CommentTurban on!
February 8, 2013 at 2:54AM ESTKK
February 5, 2013 at 11:42PM EST Reply to CommentAnother EXCELLENT episode. Total, total winner for all of the reasons you mentioned above. I was already on board with trusting the writers based on how they had handled their friendship and the build up, and this week only solidified my decision. It was awkward and hilarious, and felt like a natural progression/lack of progression. And as much as I hate to lose David Walton because I think he's really great (once again RIP Bent!), I thought it was an appropriate response for his character. The panic moonwalk was genius! Terrorism...moonwalk moonwalk. And of course Jess and Nick would be genius at building a newspaper and duct tape table! (also hilarious) And then the show somehow managed to bring it all around again with a failed and then successful apology by Nick, an almost acceptance by Jess and a truly awkward hug (their FACES during the hug!) to end things. I think they also managed to establish (to the audience at least) through all of that, that the kiss meant something to both of them even though they can't quite admit it out loud yet.
The setting was full of comic material and it was utilized very well for everyone including mojo Winston.
I liked the shift for Schmidt and Cece. The "very New Girl" moment where Schmidt complimented and insulted India and professed his love once again for Cece was so perfect. And I loved how it changed their relationship again at the same time the characters felt the need to state to each other that nothing had changed.
The scene between Jess and Cece was also one of my favorites between them. "And he grabbed my face like he was a man and I was a woman" "I mean, yeah, I saw through space and time for a minute. But that's not the point!"
leahblizz
February 6, 2013 at 12:27AM EST Reply to CommentI love this show, but I gotta say, I'm pretty tired of the Schmidt and Cece storyline. Are they going to be together or not? Since I know this is a sitcom, they probably will not get together until the very last season, so I am just awaiting whatever misunderstanding will break them back up again. Also, since this is a sitcom, I am awaiting whatever circumstance will arise whenever Jess and Nick are ready to admit their feelings to one another. They will not be happy and together until the last episode. Clearly I watch too much TV.
You clearly don't watch enough TV... ... if you think there's some kind of mandate that numbers three and five in a show's pecking order -- and Cece's a *distant* fifth, behind Winston who's a distant fourth -- must be kept apart until the final season of the show.
February 6, 2013 at 1:14AM ESTSome Guy SPOILERS for relationships in The Office, Parks and Rec, Raising Hope, Chuck and Frasier but...
February 6, 2013 at 9:24AM ESTJim and Pam got together on The Office at the end of season 3 and have been happily together (aside from the current tension) for almost 6 subsequent seasons (and are married with a kid).
Leslie and Ben on Parks and Rec got together roughly a season after he was introduced and are still strong 1 1/2 seasons later. I can't remember the timeline of April and Andy but they've been together even longer.
Jimmy and Sabrina on Raising Hope got together in season 2 of 3 so far.
Chuck and Sarah got together on Chuck (admittedly not a sitcom) in the middle of the 3rd of 5 seasons.
Hell, even Niles and Daphne got together 4 seasons before the end of Frasier, so it's not even a new phenomenon.
All of these were played up as will-they-won't-they relationships (3 of them were integral to the core of their respective shows from the beginning) and all of them were resolved long before the end of each series.
The writers may choose to delay either happy ending until the end of the show but it's not like convention will says they can't get together before then. Or, it could even be that neither relationship is alive when the show ends, I don't think either is hugely important.
jax
February 6, 2013 at 1:36AM EST Reply to CommentI was eagerly awaiting this episode to see how the show handled the aftermath of the kiss and I wasn't disappointed! Nick has been my favorite character all season, and I love him w/Jess.
I was excited to hear what Zoey would say about the kiss on Craig Ferguson last night, but the dimwit didn't ask her a single question about the show! What a missed opportunity.
Some Guy I'm honestly surprised that you thought it might have been a topic of conversation on any late night show, let alone Ferguson's.
February 6, 2013 at 9:42AM ESTSome Guy The kiss I mean, not the show itself.
February 6, 2013 at 9:42AM ESToliver Let me guess--did Zoey spend the whole interview with Ferguson flirting with his robot sidekick?
February 6, 2013 at 2:10PM ESTjohnD
February 6, 2013 at 2:47AM EST Reply to CommentI was put off by the racism. Schmidt in the turban cartoonishly stupid, but it's a comedy, so lighten up, right? Then he got to the M. Night Shamalan and all that stuff, and I just turned the damn thing off.
bryan-a Racism? really?
February 6, 2013 at 10:31AM ESTguess it would have been funnier if he called him Opie or Lebron James or something.
John "Schmidt in the turban cartoonishly stupid"...and you feel like the show or characters thought it was anything other than that?
February 6, 2013 at 11:40AM ESTJ I am surprised that Schmidt is getting off easy for this. To me, Julia last season didn't do nearly as much, and viewers went into a conniption over it.
February 6, 2013 at 4:01PM ESTJoyeful (sigh) There's a difference between racism and stereotyping. Schmidt believes stereotypes - for every ethnic group including himself as Jewish. RACISM would imply that he thought any ethnic group was less desirable or less equal.
February 6, 2013 at 8:32PM ESTI'm a black girl - I know racism. I don't believe that was it.
OnlyMe Schmidt's "hipster racism" made it very hard to like the rest of what was happening in the episode.
February 7, 2013 at 2:38AM ESTI didn't turn it off, but I'm thinking twice about turning it on again.
February 8, 2013 at 2:57AM ESTto me, this is not about racism at all. i think it's about embracing who people are. it's more about what table people sat at than what ethnicity or stereotype they are. i thought it was actually delicious how elegantly they did that.
Slushy I'm going to have to agree with Joyeful on this one. I'm a minority (not Indian though), and I felt Schmidt was more douchey stereotyping than racist.
February 9, 2013 at 12:26AM ESTGuanoLad
February 6, 2013 at 5:39AM EST Reply to CommentI liked it but it felt like the comic timing was off, like they edited a lot of great riffing from some of the back-and-forth for time, and it knocked the comic timing all out of whack.
Haynie
February 6, 2013 at 9:18AM EST Reply to Comment"You look like the fortune teller from 'Big'"
Mark
February 6, 2013 at 9:20AM EST Reply to CommentThere should be a gif for Winston's mojo dance.
SmartGirlBadTV
February 6, 2013 at 10:48AM EST Reply to CommentI'm not so sure about the Winston subplot - I want him to get his own character arc, and not just get sprinkled in from time to time...but I agree, the Nick/Jess writing was so well done, it's hard to fault the writers for much here. See more: http://www.smartgirlbadtv.com/?p=256
Brian
February 6, 2013 at 11:03AM EST Reply to CommentGreat episode, Nick and Jess are just really tremendous whenever they are on screen together. I really hope Jake Johnson gets some award buzz for his performance on this show. He just kills it every week.
One small believability issue: are we really supposed to buy that Cece wouldn't get hit on by tons of guys at an event like this without Schmidt having to make that speech. I mean, come on.
gringotts Seconded on the Jake Johnson kudos. Where did they find that guy?
February 6, 2013 at 12:13PM ESTGriff While I agree that Cece is too good looking to get noticed, I think they were trying to state that because she was at such a high level table and so unsuccessful by their standards that people wouldn't even look at her twice
February 6, 2013 at 12:25PM ESTBrian Yea, I mean I know what they were going for, but lets face it, with the way Cece looks, she could have been at Table 173 and still would have been hit on considerably.
February 6, 2013 at 12:32PM ESTCM I believe it! Partly because I'm Indian and it was totally believable to me that anyone who would show up with their resume at a "marriage conference" would only be interested in professionally/academically compatible people who they could bring home to their parents. But also for the simple reason that Cece was tucked away in a corner where nobody might have bothered to look until Schmidt put a spotlight on her.
February 7, 2013 at 5:01PM ESTtrue blue moon american
February 6, 2013 at 2:22PM EST Reply to CommentI know there has been comparisons made between Nick/Jess to Sam/Diane on 'Cheers', but with David Walton's character as the third component I almost liken it to Dave/Maddie on 'Moonlighting', right down to the third side of the triangle being named Sam (and played by current NCIS head honcho Mark Harmon). I also saw similarities in the way Nick kept waving his finger at Jess in an almost arrogant way that she had to have felt something even if he didn't, much like Dave did with Maddie after their roll in the hay. Although Nick did seem to back off that stance by the end of the episode and went back to being the character we all like.
Joyeful
February 6, 2013 at 8:34PM EST Reply to CommentI'm about willing to follow these writers anywhere. What a stellar job they've done with these two episodes!
Joyeful *writers and actors
February 6, 2013 at 8:35PM ESTS
February 6, 2013 at 8:38PM EST Reply to CommentI'm still a Happy Endings fan first and watch that show before New Girl but I will say Jake Johnson's Nick Miller is probably the funniest character on tv.
oliver And I continue to wonder how much different the show would be if Damon Wayans Jr remained instead of moving on to Happy Endings. Turns out his move made two different comedies infinitely better--can you picture him playing any other character than Brad right now? He's a perfect fit for that ensemble.
February 7, 2013 at 11:53AM ESTJoyeful
February 6, 2013 at 8:48PM EST Reply to CommentThe only thing I kinda wanted to happen was for someone to question Nick about WHY HE kissed Jess. Winston's immediate reaction was chastisement, and Cece's reaction was to mention how their impulses make them hurt people. I really wish someone had a real conversation with him about it.
Jaxemer11
February 7, 2013 at 12:45AM EST Reply to CommentGreat episode. Great season. Great show.
As much as I appreciate what they are doing with the Nick-Jess kiss storyline, I am sad that the Jess-Sam relationship seems to be over. I liked Sam as a character and I thought they were a good couple. I don't really understand why he blamed the kiss on Jess though. I guess maybe he figured she was too flirty with Nick, which made her partly responsible for it (which is probably not inaccurate).
D.
February 7, 2013 at 4:15AM EST Reply to CommentFound Sam's strong kneejerk reaction to Jess' confession odd-- was it not last week at the apartment that he was chanting for Nick and Jess to kiss?
Or maybe it was more about her not telling him right away. But still, seemed a bit off to me.
Lisa I also felt that was a bit off. I feel like this is the first episode where he has even seemed to notice the chemistry between Nick and Jess. A little foreshadowing would have been nice.
February 7, 2013 at 5:09PM EST